Project X
by Drimith
Summary: I present you with the life of Hogwart's infamous Marauders. Told in flashback fashion, the story begins in fifth year, going back to first year, and then progressing through school and after. The later chapters will contain SB/RL slash; no like, no read.
1. Chapter 1

Sirius stared toward the heavens with resentment glistening in his gaze. The moon, swollen with incandescent light, loomed high over pristine landscape before him. Sheer anxiety and hopelessness gnawed at his hunched frame. Listlessly he sighed into his arms which rested atop the apex of his knees. He could do nothing, and it was eating him alive.

"Soon, Sirius. Why don't you start practicing then?" James offered from beside Sirius, his tone gentle from both concern and lethargy.

Sirius turned his head in the direction of James's voice and forced his lips to quirk at the edges, "No, James, I'm far too worried tonight to attempt it. You know if I got stuck as a dog or something Remus would kill me." Affection laced his words, and Sirius winced slightly at the thought of the other Marauder whose presence was missed this full moon.

"Fat chance. He'd shout at you, sure, but you know he would never do that. The worst he'd do is throw kibble at you."

A snicker escaped the sole occupants of the Gryffindor common room. Sirius heaved another heavy sigh and turned back to the window in order to continue staring at the view before him.

"I'm probably wasting my breath, but, you should get to bed, Padfoot."

"You're right, Prongs," Sirius began, "you _are_ wasting your breath."

James offered an understanding nod at Sirius's back. "Night, Pads,"

"Night, Prongs," was his response.

A howl pierced the night air, sending a chill through Sirius's body. He rubbed his arms as though fending off the cold as he continued his monthly vigil. His eyes traced a familiar path up a crooked, dirt road and past the fork near the dark forest and landed on a hill in the distance, the same hill on which the Shrieking Shack was perched.

"Please be okay, Remus."

-x-

"You look like hell."

"Thanks a lot. I'd say the same to you, but that would be a compliment." Sirius was most definitely not a morning person. And along with not being a morning person, Sirius also had stayed awake almost the entire night. Grumpy would be an understatement of his current condition.

"Someone's touchy this morning," Peter punctuated his statement with a yawn.

"Did you figure that one out all by yourself?" Sirius snapped. "Would be a first."

Peter blinked in shock. He opened his mouth to form a reply, but he only managed to exercise his jaw muscles seeing as no sound escaped. Affronted, Peter turned away and hastened his step toward the Great Hall.

"Whoa, Pads, wait a minute. That was just not right, mate," James responded, staring at his best friend with a touch of disbelief.

Sirius's sleep-addled and very fuzzy brain made several attempts at processing the information which seemed to have just recently registered in his mind as occurring. A moment passed and Sirius closed his eyes, exhaling forcefully. "I didn't just say what I thought I did, did I?"

James merely nodded, confirming a statement Sirius would have rather had been denied.

"And you know how Pete's like when it comes to stuff like that. He's … well, he's insecure, I guess." James shrugged as he finished his sentence.

"I know… It's just, last night and all, you know? It was rough." Sirius stated, seemingly believing that had explained it all. And for Sirius, it did.

James shook his head and continued walking in silence, content to just let things work themselves out on their own.

-x-

"Wakey, wakey!"

Pain shot through Remus's system with an intensity only rivaled by the approaching of the full moon itself as Sirius shouted and flung himself onto the mattress. "You mind?" He winced as his sore throat could barely stand uttering two words minutely above a whisper.

"Sorry, Moony, it's just that you looked all peaceful and cute in that infirmary bed, and I just knew you were in desperate need of a cheerful morning wake up call." All of the light and mirth and everything that made Sirius a Marauder seemed to have been rekindled and shined even brighter than before. He couldn't help the grin that threatened to devour his face.

That smile was infectious, and, despite the overwhelming agony he was in, Remus could not resist smiling in return. "Next time, just try not to dive onto my bed and upset my injuries the morning after the full moon, please?"

"You have my word, Sir Moony. But I can't make any promises for the time after next."

-x-

"The book says you have to concentrate on bending the essence of your magic to fit the mold of the desired transfiguration." James announced to the dormitory room, particularly to his three best friends who were in the dormitory room.

Peter stared at James with a glazed look in his eyes, "Oh guys, I really don't think I'm going to be able to do this. I couldn't even follow what you just said, Prongs."

Remus placed a friendly arm over Peter's shoulders, "You've gotten this far, Pete, don't worry."

James ventured one last speculative look over their current page in the transfiguration text which was filled with archaic language and scrawled diagrams before replying, "It's basically saying here that the most important thing at this point really is just concentration and knowing the form of our animals. I don't think you're up to the point of putting the two subjects together yet, Pete."

"Rats aren't that difficult to understand," Peter huffed.

"Yeah, but you got to know where your intestines and other organs are going to fit and stuff like that before you change." Sirius responded, smiling sadistically at the magnificent shade of green Peter's face was turning.

Both James and Remus shot Sirius a reproachful glare. Sirius shrugged them off before speaking again, "In any case, it really would be wise for all of us to get some anatomy study in."

James nodded in assent, "I agree with Sirius on this; off to the library. Remus, you lead the way."

Remus arched a quizzical brow at James in response.

"What? You're the one who knows the library like the back of your hand."

Sirius grinned a smug little grin and brought his arm around Remus's waist before the werewolf had time to consider being offended by James's comment and said, "That's our Remus, and we wouldn't have you any other way."

Remus struggled out of the embrace and pointedly replied, "I wasn't referring to that; I was just surprised the three of you would be the ones to _suggest_ going to the library, that you would actually _want_ to study." Remus paused before correcting his previous statement, "Well, that is, I'm surprised you'd suggest studying something other than how to leave Snape in the Great Hall wearing nothing but pink underwear and a matching garter."

The three other Marauders made faces of disgust in response. Sirius, however, was the first to recover, and his countenance shifted from disgusted to mischievous. A sly grin formed on his lips before he said, "No, no, Moony, that just won't do. We have to _eat_ there. Now, Potions class we can do…"

Remus reached for the bridge of his nose in frustration and well concealed amusement, knowing this time he should have kept his mouth shut.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER**: It's still not mine, nor will it ever be.

-x-

Remus felt a nudge at his side and turned to glare at the offender. His gaze softened, however, when his eyes fell upon Sirius. "Hm?" he muttered in response to the gesture. Sirius, in his infamous tactless manner, shot his arm out and pointed to a group of, what looked like, first year students bickering. "Weren't you ever taught manners, Padfoot? Don't point."

"They tried." Sirius's lips eased into a wicked grin after his statement. Remus shook his head hopelessly which only stirred Sirius into maintaining that grin. "But seriously, look at them. Who do they remind you of?"

There was an extended silence after that question. Remus wasn't stupid, not by a long shot. He knew exactly to what his fellow Marauder was referring. The delay in his response was not caused by ignorance, but by nostalgia. A hint of a lazy smile began to form on Remus's face. Before he could reply, Peter offered the answer to Sirius's question, mistaking Remus's pause and taking advantage of the situation. "He means us, Moony. Remember first year?"

The four boys, sitting in the shade of a giant willow tree, lost themselves to a moment of silence, each remembering their own experiences of that fateful year. A cool breeze wafted through the draping branches of the tree, and the sun burned in the distance almost forgotten. Nature herself seemed slow time to allow the boys a peaceful moment for memories.

-x-

"You can't sit here, Black." A boy, no older than eleven, stared determinedly from under a pair of dark-rimmed glasses at another boy seemingly of his age. He sat back in the train compartment and stretched his legs to cross on the cushion of the seat opposite him.

The other young man tilted his head, much in the same manner as a confused puppy, and opened his mouth to speak. His sentence was interrupted before it could even begin by a rather overweight boy blowing right past him, knocking him into the compartment he was trying to sit in anyway.

"What did I just say?"

"You should get better glasses if you didn't see what just happened," Black replied with a touch of annoyance. "There's no where else, Potter. Just let me stay here until we get to Hogwarts. You won't have to worry about me after that."

"Of course I won't since I'll be in Gryffindor, and you'll be sent straight to Slytherin." Potter turned to face the window after he finished spitting out that statement. He crossed his arms close to his chest and huffed.

"We'll see about that," Black mumbled in a voice too low for his statement to be registered by the other occupant of the compartment.

Potter shifted in his seat for a moment, seemingly lost in an internal struggle which was dividing him with such polarity that his own body moved as a result. He inhaled deeply and asked, "What did you say?"

Black arched a brow before repeating, "I said, 'we'll see about that.' I don't plan on getting into Slytherin."

Potter's eyes seemed to widen marginally at his statement. "But, you're a Black."

"I'm Sirius."

"Yeah, so am I."

"No, really, I'm Sirius."

"Well what do you think I am?"

"How am I supposed to know? You didn't tell me your name yet. I just guessed you were a Potter."

"Wait, your name…?"

The two boys shared a look before identical chuckles escaped their throats. Sirius recovered first, "So what _is_ your name?"

Potter sobered and replied, "What's it to you?" All good nature disappeared from both his voice and visage. Sirius squirmed.

"I don't know. I guess I thought since I told you, you would return the favor is all."

Another struggle seemed to take place within the battlefield of Potter. He heaved a frustrated sigh and said, "James. My name's James."

Sirius ventured a grin. The Potter's were a prominent light family, upholding the righteous virtues and ethics that the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black would spit on. And since Sirius knew he didn't belong to that tradition of dark witches and wizards, he also knew he would need to find camaraderie on the other side. Being friends with the Potter heir seemed like the perfect idea, and maybe, just maybe, the Potters' idea of looking past prejudices would work in Sirius's favor. Maybe James could warm up to him.

James narrowed his eyes at Sirius's attempt at a smile and turned his head back to the window.

Sirius sighed, but he still nursed the small flicker of hope which was beginning to burn in his chest.

-x-

"Have you seen the trolley?"

A pudgy face poked into the train compartment occupied solely by a tawny-haired boy who seemed to shrink into the corner of his seat. The boy practically swam in his robes, which looked much older than one was accustomed to seeing on students, and he was drawn into himself and shivering. Wide eyes turned to meet the new face. "N-no. I h-haven't."

The pudgy boy frowned in return before nodding and moving to leave. "Sorry," he called to the boy he had disturbed. He continued his search for the snack trolley, something his mother had mentioned to him before he left for the Hogwarts Express. She thought, and thought correctly, that it would interest her son. He looked into compartment after compartment, looked down aisle after aisle. Forward he went, not caring who got in his way until he got to the end of the train. When he caught no sight of the trolley, he turned around to backtrack and then noticed an open compartment which seemed to have previously passed his attention.

"Have you seen the trolley?" he asked the two occupants.

Sirius merely shook his head in the negative. James, however, was looking for any distraction from Sirius, who he just knew was a dark snake in the grass ready to strike his heel at any moment, managed to offer a verbal response to the overweight intruder. "Yeah, it just passed this way." He pointed in the direction the boy had just come from.

Said boy held back a frustrated groan as he looked in that direction. "I swear I'll not be able to sit down until we reach the school. I have yet to find a compartment, you know."

Both James's and Sirius's brows shot toward their hairline at the statement. "It's a bit late now, mate. Don't think you're going to find a place," Sirius spoke to the boy for the first time.

"Oh, I think you're right. I only passed one other compartment so far that wasn't filled. And I wouldn't sit in there for anything. There's this creepy kid in there."

"Creepy kid?" James and Sirius asked in unison.

"Yeah! You should go see."

Sirius shrugged, "I'm game."

James ventured a look out the compartment window, almost as if attempting to judge the length of time it would take to reach the castle from the position of the sun to the train alone. "I think I'll stay here. And you should stay out there, Black, with that kid. You're welcome to stay here, though, mate. I'm James," he said, offering the pudgy boy his hand.

"I'm Peter. Thanks, James, I think I'll take you up on that," Peter said accepting James's hand.

Sirius allowed his gaze to linger on the pair before stating, "Fine, I'll go find the creepy kid myself. See you later, cowards."

"Hey! I'm no coward!"

"Of course you are, _Potter_. You're too cowardly to even share a train compartment with me." And without waiting for a response, Sirius went in search of the creepy kid he inwardly blamed, for some reason, as being the trigger for that outburst. His eyes scanned the windows of all the compartment doors before landing on an open one. It was the only open one in his line of vision, to be precise.

Sirius paused for a second at the open doorway as he gave his eyes time to search for the occupant of the room. Somehow he knew this was going to be the place to find the kid, and he was right. A huddled form quivered under two-sizes-too-big robes in the far right corner of the compartment seat. Sirius walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "I hope you don't mind. I got kicked out of my other seat, and this is the only place left."

The boy lifted his gaze to meet Sirius's after he finished speaking, which was a good thing since that look seemed to knock the breath right out of Sirius's lungs. The look that lingered behind the eyes of this so-called "creepy kid" was frighteningly mesmerizing. It was the gaze of one far too young who has witnessed far too much. It was the gaze of one who has gone to hell and back and lived to tell the tale. It was the gaze of a terrified child, shrinking away from a raised fist. It was a gaze that could not be properly described by any similes, metaphors, or analogies. No mercy or justice could be done to this look by words alone. Raw emotion seized Sirius, and he had to look away.

"I-I-I don't m-mind. S-sorry," the kid uttered at last, every word seeming to cost the young man much effort.

"Sorry for what?" Sirius was still unable to return his full attention back to the boy before him, but his mind was still attempting to work at maximum capacity. Sirius also doubted the kid had truly meant it when he said he didn't mind. From the way the kid sounded, it seemed like he minded very much, but Sirius was going to let that slide since he needed a place to sit. Sirius maneuvered himself to the free seat opposite the occupied one.

"My s-sc-scars, I'm sorry y-you have to see th-th-them. And I don't b-blame you for turning away f-from them." The boy stuttered like he was being shaken by invisible hands.

After that statement Sirius was finally able to return his full attention, gaze and all, to the stuttering boy. He didn't remember seeing any scars when he first came in, but that was probably because that look was what took him by surprise before anything else. Now that his eyes returned to the boy's face, carefully avoiding that _look_ of course, he noticed the scars.

There were two very faint ones; a short, thin one began by the top of the boy's right ear and faded into his hairline while the other, a longer, more jagged piece of raised flesh, ran diagonally from just behind his left ear to the front of his collarbone. The real eye catcher was the horizontal gash along his left cheek which seemed to have just started healing. The boy's long, wispy hair did wonders at shielding the other two scars from view, but that one on the cheek was a stark contrast from the boy's pale skin and was provided no means of protection from prying eyes.

The boy twitched and squirmed uncomfortably under Sirius's intense scrutiny. As soon as Sirius noticed this, he stopped staring and began, "How did you-" but the look in the boy's eyes caught him off guard again and interrupted him. Pure, unadulterated fear emanated from the poor kid and Sirius, whose usual brash and brazen manner normally kept him from noticing such things, seemed to actually take a hint. "Um, never mind. So, what's your name? I'm Sirius." He attempted a grin, one he hoped soothe the boy in front of him.

The boy attempted a grin of his own and replied, "I'm Remus, nice to m-meet you."

-x-

Feedback is always much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER**: Not mine, nor will it ever be.

-x-

"You stutter a lot."

Sirius had never been one for tact, and that would be the first lesson in a line of many that Remus would have to learn about him. And from the cringe that shook the boy's frame, it seemed it might be one of the more difficult ones for Remus to adjust to. He simply retreated within himself, leaving a not only tactless, but sometimes thick Sirius perplexed.

"S-sorry."

Sirius wrinkled his nose in response. "Why?"

Uncomfortably, Remus shifted in his seat and involuntarily brought a hand to rest against his wounded cheek. "Why what?"

"Why do you stutter?" Sirius' gaze was intense, and that added to the pressure he was unwittingly placing on his new companion.

Remus abruptly turned to his side, facing the window. The sunlight flitting through the passing landscape cast a mesmerizing display of dancing light and shadows across his features. His bottom lip was caught firmly between his teeth, and it was a while before he spoke.

"It's not like I m-mean to." Remus winced at his slip, firming his resolve to calm his speaking. He slid toward to the window, his face so close to it he felt a chill radiating off the glass. Slowly sliding a fingertip along the border of the window, he began to speak again, "It just happens."

"I think it's because you're nervous… or maybe scared." Sirius wasn't quite sure if he was offering an observation or baiting the boy, and it seemed Remus wasn't sure how to take it either.

Remus attempted a shrug, but the jerky motion sent him wincing.

"You alright?" Sirius' brows furrowed as he watched the other boy clutch his shoulder in pain.

Remus' eyes widened noticeably, and he managed to choke out, "I'll b-be fine."

Cocking his head to the side in curiosity, Sirius looked as though he was going to press Remus further, but he must have decided against it. The slight panic emanating from Remus was enough of a hint for even Sirius to drop the subject. He turned to face out of their compartment, and let out a huff to seemingly no one in particular, or at least that's how it looked to Remus.

But it wasn't to no one in particular. It was to that damned James Potter. If it wasn't for that kid Sirius wouldn't be stuck in one of the most awkward situations of his life, and that's saying something. He shifted again to face Remus and desperately attempted to make conversation, any conversation, anything that would pass the time and make things run smoothly. But Sirius had no such luck; his usual impeccable skill at conversation seemed to leave him in the face of this striking yet unapproachable boy opposite him.

His companion didn't seem to mind, however. In fact, he seemed to welcome the silence, rummaging through his bag and pulling out a somewhat worn text. Remus tucked his feet under his body and lost himself in the print.

Sirius stared on, part of him offended and part of him exasperated at Remus' actions. But there was also a part of him that was acutely fascinated, although he would never admit that. The boy seemed to be one big mystery, one that Sirius was beginning to get determined enough to crack. And it was at that point, with all due blame to Remus, that Sirius' obsession began.

"So, what you reading?"

-x-

"That stupid Black!" James huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Who does he think he is?"

Peter was squirming on the compartment seat, filled to the brim with pride. He did it. He, Peter Pettigrew, made a friend on the first day! And so he dutifully listened to his friend rant and ramble about that no good Black character, nodding at all the right places and interjecting his assurances regarding James' judgment of character.

And on James' tirade went. The boy seemed to barely pause to breathe. It continued throughout the entire duration of the train ride, the boat ride, and up the steps of Hogwarts itself. Peter was beginning to think James would never stop, not that he minded all that much, of course. But Peter was proved wrong when a petite redhead crossed James' line of vision as they were about to enter the Great Hall.

"Can you believe he really thou-" James trailed off mid-sentence when his breath was taken away. His jaw went slack, still hanging wide open, as he stared all too obviously at the girl. She caught his gaze, wrinkled her nose at him, and abruptly turned away.

"Who _is_ she?"

Peter worried at his lower lip, wringing his hands nervously at the fact he couldn't provide James with an answer. "Dunno." Peter winced as James' brows drew together at his unsatisfactory answer. And Peter knew it was at that point that James' obsession, one of many, began.

-x-

"Explain yourself." Professor McGonagall's cold glare was enough to almost shake Sirius, almost.

His right hand flew behind his head, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Sirius had walked into the castle looking for all the world as if he owned the place, soaking wet, dripping, and sloshing his steps in the process.

"I, uh, fell in," Sirius lamely stated, looking sheepish under the woman's scrutinizing glare. She cast a drying charm on him, seemingly taking pity on the boy, and clucked her tongue before leading the first years into the Great Hall.

Sirius turned to the companion at his side, uttering barely above a whisper, "Thanks."

Remus, flushed at the memory, attempted a smile as he replied, "N-no problem." He had been the one to pull Sirius back into the boat after the boy had 'lost his footing'. Although technically Sirius had been pushed, they both liked to believe that it was completely accidental.

Remus swallowed nervously, eager for a change in topic. He was certainly hoping Sirius wouldn't ask how a kid as scrawny as himself could have achieved such an accomplishment. And Remus was saved as Sirius' interest in the upcoming Sorting ceremony took his full attention.

After the preliminary traditions of the ceremony, the sorting was to begin. And Sirius was all but hopping on the balls of his feet. '_I'm going to do it. I'm going to show them all._'

His name was finally called after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, and Sirius suavely, or as suave as an eleven year old can get, sauntered to the front of the Hall. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head, and two people in the room sat with bated breath waiting for the verdict.

"He's going to be in Slytherin, I just know it," James announced with a proud smirk. But that smirk quickly fell as his countenance was overwhelmed by disbelief. The Black heir was just sorted into Gryffindor. "That old thing must be busted."

Peter nodded his agreement and was forced to listen to more of James's outrage regarding the incident, mostly about how James couldn't believe he would be in the same House as a Black; for James knew he would most certainly be placed into Gryffindor.

Remus' turn to get sorted eventually came around, and Sirius, who at that moment couldn't have been more overjoyed at his own perceived success, watched on with keen interest. '_Ravenclaw, I bet_.' But Sirius would have lost that bet because almost unbelievably Remus was sorted into his own House. Still on cloud nine, Sirius cheered over everybody else as Remus walked to the table.

Remus offered Sirius a shy smile which he returned in kind and clapped his new Housemate firmly on the back in congratulation. The rest of the ceremony was uneventful for Sirius as, expectedly, Potter was sorted into Gryffindor as well. James gave him an unreadable stare once seated, and Sirius grinned back at him.

There wasn't much that day that could ruin Sirius' mood. He attacked his dinner with gusto and attempted small talk with the people around him. Unfortunately, no one really bothered to hold up their end of the conversation except Remus, who weakly responded in the shortest sentences possible. But Sirius didn't care. He was a Gryffindor. Not even James' comment, which was obviously made loud enough for Sirius to hear, fouled his mood.

"We better not be sharing the same dorm," James all but shouted in apparent disgust.

Sirius simply rolled his eyes; skillfully ignoring the remark as he stuffed his face with what, in his mind, was the best meal ever.


End file.
